It’s been 50 years since John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the nation’s 35th president, yet his specter remains ever present in the American consciousness. In conversation with Bob Herbert, celebrated biographer Robert Dallek examines the trials and tribulations Kennedy faced during his political career—obstacles that are surprisingly resonant to issues facing our current president—including the Cold War, conflict in Southeast Asia, and the resistance he faced in passing domestic policy.
Robert Dallek is the author of An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 and the new book John F. Kennedy, and is a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Bob Herbert (moderator) is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. He is the author of Promises Betrayed: Waking Up from the American Dream.